NEW DELHI: More than 40 per cent of marginal farmers associated with agricultural cooperatives have reported an increase in household income and improved crop yields, according to a new study that has called for urgent reforms to make India’s cooperative framework more inclusive.

The report, titled “State of Marginal Farmers in India 2025”, was prepared by the Forum of Enterprises for Equitable Development (FEED) and released on Farmers’ Day at NITI Aayog. It was unveiled by Dr K K Tripathi, Joint Secretary of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), along with Dr Sudhir Mahajan, Chief Executive of the National Cooperative Union of India.

The findings are based on a comprehensive survey conducted across Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tripura and Uttarakhand.

According to the report, about 45 per cent of marginal farmers linked to cooperatives reported an increase in household income, while nearly 42 per cent said they had experienced improvements in crop yields.

The study underlines the potential of cooperative institutions in strengthening the economic resilience of small landholders.

The report notes that small and marginal farmers account for nearly 88 per cent of India’s farming population, with an average landholding of less than two hectares.

Of this group, around 60 per cent are marginal farmers cultivating less than one hectare of land. It highlights that households dependent on marginal farming remain the most vulnerable segment of the agricultural economy.